THANKSGIVING

Since Chuseok (the Korean Thanksgiving celebration) is coming up this weekend, it only seems fitting to dedicate a blog post to things I am so thankful for... particularly since God has been absolutely overwhelming me with His love, provision, and joy. I don't think I can even begin to adequately describe how I feel... how incredible His provision and presence is... but I will do my best:

• I am thankful for OVERWHELMING support from people back home... I can hardly put it into words. Yeah, basically I'm speechless (if that is even possible)... Your emails, prayers, and support mean so much to me!
  
• I am thankful for opportunities to get to know my co-teachers on a deeper level. I LOVE them! Our conversations this week have been so meaningful and it's exciting to be developing friendships with them. I also really see God at work in SO many ways... something I've been praying for specifically. I am looking forward to seeing how He will bring glory to Himself through this time. Thanks for your prayers - keep it up! :)
  
• I am thankful for such loving and helpful co-teachers. Yesterday several of them found out that I am still looking for a church. Two of them went to work immediately searching online for some English-speaking churches and printed out info for me. One of them told me about her sister's church and had her sister call me within an hour after school was finished to invite me to come with her on Sunday! So encouraged... I'm really excited to visit. I can't wait to get plugged in with a church family! The search for a church also brought about some neat conversations yesterday.
• I am thankful that God is allowing me to be a teacher! I am really loving it! There are definitely challenges already, but it seems like such a good fit. It's so neat to see how God has prepared me for this time... and encouraging to think about how He is using this time to prepare me for whatever He has in store down the road. I've really enjoyed my lesson plans this week and have gotten some positive feedback, which has also been really encouraging.
  
• I am thankful that God provided a toaster and hot water pitcher for me through my school this week. They are so thoughtful.
  
• I am thankful that God provided extra virgin olive oil for me. Today when I arrived at school, there was a bottle of extra virgin olive oil sitting in a bag on my desk. The principal gave each teacher a bottle for Chuseok. Want to know the best part about it? Olive oil was totally on my grocery list... and I nearly scratched it off the list yesterday because it's so expensive. He truly KNOWS our needs... even the small, miniscule ones!
  
• I am thankful that God provided a coffee pot for me today through my dear friend Kang Meesuk! (Something I've really been missing... )
  
• I am thankful that God provided GROCERIES for me today through Kang Meesuk's sister! So overwhelmed... bagels, cream cheese, American cheese, Campbell's chicken noodle soup, Campbell's tomato paste, creamer for my coffee... all from au bon pain. Maybe I'll actually get to start using my little kitchenette!
  
• I am thankful that God provided even more kitchen stuff for me - a set of clear glasses and beautiful mugs from one of the 9th grade gym teachers (I've never even met her before)! People are so incredibly generous...
• I am thankful that God provided more hangers for me from my vice principal. Exactly waht I needed... once again!
  
• I am thankful for an incredibly encouraging Bible study last night with Hil. We studied I Peter 1:1-7. Good stuff! Her friendship is such a blessing to me!
• I am thankful that God provided a western style dinner for Sara and me tonight - real pizza followed by ice cream from Baskin Robbins! So sweet and refreshing - the food and the fellowship! We prayed for a nice Western place to eat that wasn't too pricey... and God provided, once again.
  
• The list could certainly go on... but it's way past my bedtime (I'm thankful for sleep too)...

This is blog post #100... and it just so happens that the 100th Psalm is a Psalm of Thanksgiving (how appropriate):

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness endures through all generations.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!

Overwhelmed... Again!

God is doing such great things - answering prayer in such sweet ways. I don't have a whole lot of time to explain how right now, but thanks so much for all of you who are praying! I'm really excited to be here. He is SO faithful. I will update more later...


But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
Psalm 73:28

~Holly Nicole

Highlights of today:

- Taught my Olympics lesson plan... and realized that I was definitely over-prepared (which is better than under-prepared, I think)! Had to do some quick thinking on my feet with the lower level classes... and when the computers weren't working, but it all worked out and the teachers seemed pleased. Some of those middle school students sure are rowdy though! Whoever said Korean students are perfectly behaved in class should just come visit a middle school before the bell rings (and even after the bell rings)... and they will get a little taste of chaotic madness!

- Kang Meesuk has been so SWEET to me! She is the dear teacher who brought all of those dishes to my apartment a week or two ago. She has been so generous and thoughtful. Yesterday she wanted to be sure to let me know that those supplies were from God... so I should be sure to thank Him. I informed her that I have been thanking Him... and totally appreciate that she was willing to play a big role in being a blessing to me. Today we had several more opportunities to talk. She is a Catholic woman that loves the Lord whole-heartedly. She has also been incredibly hospitable toward me. I think she's taking me grocery shopping on Thursday afternoon. Earlier today she was looking up the cheapest prices online for the last few things I still need for my apartment. So thoughtful!

- After school, I applied for my Alien Registration Card with Anna (Kim Young Chae), my main co-teacher. We waited at the immigration office for only about one hour (which is surprising since we forgot to make an appt. ahead of time). Things went pretty well - we had a nice time chatting. Afterward, she took me to Kyobo Bookstore (one of the two largest bookstores in Seoul). We looked at a few curriculum books and then were about to part ways, but decided to have dinner together inside the bookstore (it's a BIG bookstore). It was our first meal together outside of school and we had some really great conversation time (and the food was GOOD). I feel like we were able to get to know each other a lot better, which was really nice. It was so enjoyable. Afterward, I explored the bookstore a little more and did some window-shopping. It was fun.

- Now I'm back in my apartment and just about ready to go get my laundry. This time I remembered to add soap at the beginning. :) I also wore more comfortable shoes today, Grandma. ;)

Good night friends!

Lesson Learned: Ask for Directions & Wear Comfortable Shoes

Sometimes we have to learn things the hard way. Today I learned to make sure that I am wearing comfortable, broken-in shoes and socks... especially when in transit. After I finished my last class today, I left the school and started to head back to my apartment, and then realized that I didn't really know how to get back. You see, every time that I've left school, I've been with my co-teacher (Young Chae/Anna) and we normally go run errands. Today as I was leaving, I realized I didn't know how to get to the nearest subway stop... and the bus system is still a massive wave of intimidation for me. But being the "independent" person that I think I am, I decided it would not be too much trouble. Surely if I walked in one direction long enough, I'd come across a subway station... About a half hour later, I arrived at Cheongnyangni Subway Station. (It might not have taken me so long to walk if my feet had not been in such pain from the uncomfortable apparel). It was a painful trip. I made it back safely, but walked slower than a snail probably. Next time, I think I'll ask for directions... and make sure that my shoes are broken in before embarking on such ridiculous ventures.

In other news, my first day as a teacher went well. I finished meeting the last of my new students and was busy working the entire day (kind of refreshing)! The co-teachers seemed to like my Olympics lesson plan... and my after-school class went well. Sometimes I forget that I used to dream of being a teacher. Today, as I was walking to one of my classes, I had a flashback. I used to "play school" with Zac all the time... and of course, insisted on being the teacher! Now, I get to be the teacher... living my dreams, I guess. I just never figured they would be in a foreign country halfway across the world! (I know, I know... I'm super-cheesy... but that's me.) :)

Another Random Update

Lots to write about, but my thoughts are somewhat scattered and I need to finish preparing for going to school tomorrow.

I'm excited about teaching.
I miss my family and home.
I really want to find a church home soon... but I don't want to be hasty either. Visited an awesome church today with Bok ja, but the main service was in Korean, which was somewhat problematic for comprehension, unfortunately.
I'm thankful for Skype.
I'm thankful to be back in my own apartment. I'm excited to spend more time with another English teacher from orientation that loves Jesus and lives here.
It's nice to get back to creating some type of "normalcy" - whatever that means.
Still trying to adapt to the food.
Need to learn to read Korean.
Need to start utilizing the fitness center in the basement of my apt. complex.
I'm thankful for the internet.
I want to make a budget soon... but I'm still trying to figure out what my living expenses will be.
I miss China and bamboo (as opposed to metal) chopsticks.
I am so thankful for Hil and the sweet time we had together last night.
I'm thankful for Skype.
I need to not frequent my favorite Italian coffee shop so much.
I want to watch a movie in English.
I don't like "gray" areas when it comes to decision-making.
I'm never ever going to even attempt to go grocery stopping at a major store on a weekend again. It's like Christmas shopping the Day after Thanksgiving - chaotic and draining!
I feel more homesick when people talk in Korean when I'm trying to participate in the conversation (i.e. listening at church, Korean English teacher's meeting, less formal settings when I'm with Korean friends/teachers).
I like Bok ja and her family so much.
I am tired of/don't like making decisions sometimes.
Tomorrow I get to be a real teacher.
I love Jesus and am so thankful for life in Him. There truly is no greater joy than knowing Him and making Him known!
Good night.

Orientation Pics...

Brief Summary of Orientation: I learned several helpful things for teaching and am excited to TEACH! I also enjoyed learning more about Korean culture. I met several really neat people and am thankful for new friends. (Although, I will admit, I wasn't terribly extroverted... I guess I decided to focus on getting to know a few people somewhat well, as opposed to tons of people on the surface.) The week was unnecessarily too long and I was definitely ready to get back to settling into life.

Some random highlights:

Meet Mr. Spam-Ears. This is the result of boredom after dinner... and leftovers from a rather unappetizing dinner. Josie was the main creator; Taryn, Sara, and I added a few touches. Perhaps we missed our life calling and should be artists instead.



Sitting in the Dining Room, enjoying random conversation and making creations out of our food. Sara's roommates sat with us. Amanda is hiding, but Terry is smiling.


My roomies: Taryn and Josie! We had such a sweet time together. I'm really thankful for those girls!


The main point of this picture was to try to capture the mountains and the sunset. Turned out okay... but was totally better in person (as always seems to be the case with sunsets).


Another roomie pic.



Josie and I were bored because we got to our meeting early. So, we played with Taryn's camera and made her sweet messages like this one. Good times.


We visited the National Museum Friday afternoon. We only spent about two hours there and didn't get to see a whole lot, but it was free and perhaps I'll return at some point this year.


Museum buddies. Pictured: Me, Sharon, Kay, Sam, Sara, & Josie. We had a nice time exploring together (although the extremely weak coffee was somewhat of a disappointment).


Fan Dance at the Closing Ceremony. I had a front row seat, which was sweet for taking pictures.


Drummers at the Closing Ceremony.


Goodbye roomies (for now). We're planning to hike a mountain together next Saturday for Chuseok (Thanksgiving holiday for Koreans). I'm looking forward to seeing them again!


Sara and I - after surviving a full week of SMOE orientation!

SMOE ORIENTATION

SMOE stands for Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. I have been at orientation all week with approximately 250 other English teachers from all over the world - USA, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, etc. All of us are employed by SMOE... and most people here are pretty well-traveled. It's fun to talk with people that love to travel and see the world.

Orientation has been helpful, for the most part. I have to admit, I really wasn't looking forward to it at the beginning, but now I'm thankful for the experience. Although there are many things that could be improved, I've enjoyed making new friends, learning more about Korean culture, and I now have several more tools to add to my teacher toolbox (my roommate is laughing at me right now for that last phrase).

Speaking of roommates, I've had a wonderful time with Taryn & Josie (pictured below). We have had so many times of random laughter... and lots of great conversations. We all share a similar sense of humor, which is kind of nice.


I'm looking forward to hanging out with them more this upcoming year.


This was our first night at orientation. Sara, myself, Taryn, and Josie had a "chocolate party." We had a few chocolate parties when I was in college... and somehow the idea came up and was a wonderful start to our week. We definitely had a lot of giggles. It's fun being a girl.



This is a sample of what our meals are like in the Hyundai Learning Center. The soup was actually pretty good - the Korean version of chicken noodle soup without the noodles, I guess. In the upper left hand corner, you may see some light purple octopus legs. I'm afraid that I didn't do such a good job trying the food on this particular occasion. Some of the food has been okay this week... I'm looking forward to the more authentic Korean restaurants, though.



Last night, we had traditional Korean dancing lessons. It was definitely an interesting time... I'm not sure that my dancing skills improved all that much...

Orientation lasts until Saturday... Tomorrow we are giving mini-teaching lessons.